Hinds County Election Commissioner Clark voted out of office

Sanatore Bracey wins election

There's a big shakeup on the Hinds County Election Commission following Tuesday's election.

Voters ousted commission chairman Jermal Clark. He was defeated in District 3 by Sanatore Bracey, who captured 64 percent of the vote. Clark and Bracey are both Democrats.

Incumbent Election Commissioner Marilyn Avery, a Republican, was also defeated on Tuesday. Democrat James Reed won the District 1 race over Avery and Primus Wheeler.

The commission has been plagued by bitter internal fighting. Commission leaders called it a clash of personalities. But some county officials said all the fighting was stopping progress and led to the most recent problem with the commission -- failing to get absentee ballots out on time.

Clark and fellow Election Commissioner Connie Cochran got into a heated debate about the issue last month at a Hinds County supervisors meeting.

"I can't believe that someone would come before the Board of Supervisors, send letters all over the county, admitting that they are too dumb to do the damn ballot," Cochran said.

"That is all from what we're trained from the people who are in charge," Clark responded.

After one fight between commissioners, county supervisors told them they would take over the elections process if the finger pointing did not end.

Copyright 2012 byWAPT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.